Wenger Misses Injured Carzola, Insists Arsenal Won’t Buy Replacement

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger says Santi Carzola's three-month injury layoff is a bad news for the Gunners, but insists that the club will not seek to buy a replacement for the Spaniard during the January transfer window.

Arsenal, in the meantime, will continue life without the resourceful midfielder as they play away to West Ham on Saturday. The Gunners are fourth in the English Premier League table with 28 points, behind Chelsea (31 points), Liverpool (30 points) and Manchester City (30 points)..

"For me, it's a very bad news because you knew always the date of the surgery but never the date when the player will play," the Frenchman said during his news conference ahead of Saturday's English Premier League fixture against West Ham.

"And I always try to put absolutely everything in place to avoid surgery because it creates always anxiety and rehab.

" And overall, I think when you can avoid it you have to avoid it. But in this case unfortunately we have come to that conclusion.

"Now they tell me that he will be out for two months at least. But two month can sometimes be three as well."

The Gunners have struggled to cope in the absence of the midfielder, but Wenger says Arsenal won't be forced into a panic buying.

" In midfield, we have many players. There are two reasons (not to buy). First of all we have the number and the quality.

"And secondly, in the January transfer market, you will not necessarily find a Carzola, even if you wanted to."